Golf putter

ABSTRACT

A golf putter having upper and lower shaft members which are detachably secured together. The lower shaft member has a putter head secured thereto. In the preferred embodiment, enlarged grips are provided on the upper ends of the upper and lower shaft members. A locking screw connects the upper and lower shaft members to restrict the disconnection of the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a golf putter and more particularly to a golfputter including upper and lower shaft members which may be disconnectedfrom one another for travel purposes. More particularly, the golf putterof this invention relates to a putter having a length sufficient so thata golfer may position the upper end of the upper shaft member betweenthe inside upper portion of the golfer's leading arm and the side of thegolfer's chest to position the upper end of the upper shaft member inposition with respect to the golfer during the golfer's putting stroke.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many different types of putters have been previously provided. There isthe conventional length putters, belly putters and sternum putters. Ithas been found that it is desirable to putt with the golfer's largermuscles other than with the golfer's smaller muscles. Many golfers whohave experienced the “yips” go to the belly putters or the sternumputters so that they putt more with their arms and shoulders rather thanwith their hands and fingers. It has been found that an ideal puttingstroke may be achieved if the upper end of an elongated putter ispositioned between the inside upper portion of the golfer's leading armand the golfer's chest and maintained therein during the putting stroke.

The rules of the United States Golf Association permit long putterswhich may be disconnected into two parts for travel purposes. The samemust not be readily disconnected to deter the golfer from separating theputter into two pieces during play.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects oressential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summaryis not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of theclaimed subject matter.

A golf putter is disclosed which includes a putter head which has alower shaft member secured thereto and which extends upwardly therefrom.The putter also includes an upper shaft member wherein the lower endthereof may be threadably secured to the upper end of the lower shaftmember so that the putter will have a combined length such that when theupper shaft member is secured to the lower shaft member, a golfer mayposition the upper end of the upper shaft member between the insideupper portion of the golfer's leading arm and the side of the golfer'schest to position the upper end of the upper shaft member in positionwith respect to the golfer during the golfer's putting stroke.

In the preferred embodiment, an enlarged grip is mounted on the lowershaft member at the upper end thereof and an enlarged grip is mounted onthe upper shaft member at the upper end thereof. The upper and lowershafts may be tapered or have a constant diameter.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide animproved golf putter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a two-piece golf putterhaving a length such that the upper end of the putter may be positionedbetween the inside upper portion of the golfer's leading arm and theside of the golfer's chest to maintain the upper end of the upper shaftmember in position with respect to the golfer during the golfer'sputting stroke.

A further object of the invention is to provide a golf putter of thetype described which forces the golfer into a better putting stroke.

A further object of the invention is to provide a two-piece putterincluding means for restricting the disconnection of the upper and lowershafts during play.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a two-piece putterwherein the lower section of the putter, when the two-pieces aredisconnected, may be used as a putter.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention aredescribed with reference to the following figures, wherein likereference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various viewsunless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled putter;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the putter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the means for locking the upper shaftmember to the lower shaft member of the putter;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the putter whichdoes not have any grips formed thereon;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an assembled putter having taperedshafts; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a golfer having the upper end of the golf putterpositioned between the golfer's leading arm and the side of the golfer'schest.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to theaccompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way ofillustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments aredisclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art topractice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in manydifferent forms and should not be construed as being limited to theembodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is,therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of thepresent invention is defined only by the appended claims.

In FIG. 1, the numeral refers to the golf putter of this inventionincluding a putter head 12, lower shaft member 14 and upper shaft member16. The lower end of shaft member 14 is secured to the putter head 12 byany conventional means. The upper end of lower shaft member 14preferably has an enlarged grip 18 provided therein. The upper end ofupper shaft member 16 preferably has an enlarged grip 20 providedthereon.

The lower end of upper shaft member 16 has a plug 22 inserted into thelower end thereof and which is secured thereto as seen in FIG. 3. Anexternally threaded stud 24 extends downwardly from the plug 22 and hasa transversely extending bore 26 extending thereinto which extends intothe stud for a distance greater than one-half of the diameter of thestud 24.

The upper end of lower shaft section 14 has a plug 28 received thereinand which has an internally threaded bore 30 adapted to threadablyreceive the stud 24. An elongated internally threaded bore 32 is formedin plug 28 which is adapted to threadably receive an allen screw 34.Grip 18 is provided with an opening 36 which communicates with opening38 formed in shaft member 14 as seen in FIG. 3. Openings 36 and 38communicate with bore 32 to enable allen screw 34 to be threadablyinserted into bore 32 to restrict the disconnection of shaft members 14and 16.

The shaft sections 16 and 14 may be secured together by threadablyinserting the stud 24 into the internally threaded bore 30 of plug 28.When the stud 24 has been sufficiently tightened within the internallythreaded bore 30, the allen screw 34 is threadably inserted into bore 32and is moved inwardly until the inner end of the allen screw is receivedby the bore 26 to prevent the ready disconnection of the shaft section16 from the shaft section 14.

In use, assuming that the golfer is right handed, as seen in FIG. 6, thegolfer will place the upper end of the shaft section 16 between theinside surface of his/her left arm and the side of the golfer's chestand securely maintain the putter in that position by lightly squeezingthe golfer's left arm against the upper end of the putter. The golferwill grasp the grip 18 with his/her right hand and address the ball. Thefact that the upper end of the putter 10 is anchored between thegolfer's arm and the golfer's chest causes the golfer to make a pendulumstroke without any hand action. In other words, the golfer uses thegolfer's large muscles rather than the golfer's small muscles to executethe putting stroke.

The putter of FIG. 4 is designated by the reference numeral 10′ and isidentical to the putter of FIG. 1 except that the putter 10′ does nothave any grips thereon.

The putter illustrated in FIG. 5 is designated by the reference numeral10″ and includes tapered shaft members rather than shaft members of aconstant diameter.

It should be noted that when the shaft section 16 is disconnected fromshaft section 14, shaft section 14, with the putter head 12 affixedthereto, may be used as a putter having a more conventional length.

Thus it can be seen that a novel golf putter, which when assembled, hasa length sufficient so that the golfer may place the upper end of theputter between the inside portion of the golfer's leading arm and theside of the golfer's chest to firmly position the putter in position. Itcan also be seen that a novel means has been provided which prevents the“ready” disconnection of the shaft members during play as required byUSGA rules.

It can therefore be seen that the putter accomplishes at least all ofits stated objectives.

Although the invention has been described in language that is specificto certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understoodthat the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarilylimited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, thespecific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing theclaimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can bepracticed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.

1. A golf putter comprising: a putter head; a lower shaft member havingupper and lower ends; said lower end of said lower shaft member beingsecured to said putter head so as to extend upwardly therefrom; an uppershaft member having upper and lower ends; said lower end of said uppershaft member being selectively removably secured to said upper end ofsaid lower shaft member so as to extend upwardly therefrom; said lowerand upper shaft members having a combined length, when said upper shaftmember is secured to said lower shaft member, so that a golfer mayposition said upper end of said upper shaft member between the insideupper portion of the golfer's leading arm and the side of the golfer'schest to position said upper end of said upper shaft member in positionwith respect to the golfer during the golfer's putting stroke.
 2. Thegolf putter of claim 1 wherein an enlarged grip is mounted on said lowershaft member at the upper end thereof.
 3. The golf putter of claim 1wherein an enlarged grip is mounted on said upper shaft member at theupper end thereof.
 4. The golf putter of claim 2 wherein an enlargedgrip is mounted on said upper shaft member at the upper end thereof. 5.The golf putter of claim 1 wherein each of said lower and upper shaftmembers are cylindrical in cross-section.
 6. The golf putter of claim 5wherein each of said lower and upper shaft members have the samediameters.
 7. The golf putter of claim 1 wherein said lower shaft memberis tapered.
 8. The golf putter of claim 1 wherein said upper shaftmember is tapered.
 9. The golf putter of claim 7 wherein said uppershaft member is tapered.
 10. The golf putter of claim 1 furtherincluding means to selectively secure said upper shaft member to saidlower shaft member to restrict the disconnection of said upper shaftmember from said lower shaft member.
 11. The golf putter of claim 1wherein said upper end of said lower shaft member has an internallythreaded bore extending downwardly thereinto and wherein said lower endof said upper shaft has an externally threaded stud adapted to bethreadably received by said internally threaded bore at said upper endof said lower shaft member.
 12. The golf putter of claim 11 wherein anexternally threaded locking screw extends inwardly through said upperend of said lower shaft member and which is received by said externallythreaded stud.
 13. The golf putter of claim 12 wherein said threadedlocking screw is received by an opening in said externally threadedstud.
 14. The golf putter of claim 13 wherein said threaded lockingscrew extends into said externally threaded stud for at least one-halfof the diameter of said externally threaded stud.
 15. The golf putter ofclaim 1 wherein said upper shaft member may have variable lengths. 16.The golf putter of claim 1 wherein said lower shaft member may havevariable lengths.
 17. The golf putter of claim 16 wherein said uppershaft member may have variable lengths.